Turnbull abandons young people in Frankston

Member for Isaacs, Mark Dreyfus has condemned the Turnbull Government for abandoning young people in the City of Frankston.

The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP

Shadow Attorney General Shadow Minister for National Security Federal Member for Isaacs

TURNBULL ABANDONS YOUNG PEOPLE IN FRANKSTON

Member for Isaacs, Mark Dreyfus has condemned the Turnbull Government for abandoning young people in the City of Frankston.

Mr Dreyfus today met with staff from the Young People’s Legal Rights Centre (YouthLaw), which runs an outreach service from the Headspace in Frankston.

For the past two years YouthLaw has provided an outreach service in partnership with Headspace in Frankston to assist vulnerable young people with their legal problems.

Funding cuts by the Turnbull Government to YouthLaw will mean that the Frankston service will close in July 2017 and young Frankston residents will have to go to the City to access youth-focussed legal advice.

Over the past two years 1,768 young people across Victoria have been assisted by YouthLaw’s outreach program.

From July 1, YouthLaw’s Commonwealth funding will be slashed from $151,000 to just $84,000 per annum, a cut of approximately 45 per cent of its Commonwealth funding, forcing the closure of nine outreach services across Victoria.

This cut comes at the same time as the Turnbull Government pushes through a $24 billion tax cut for big business.

“The Turnbull Government’s funding cut to Community Legal Centres have devastated communities around Australia. The closure of this YouthLaw outreach service because of Turnbull’s cuts will see young people in Frankston worse off,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“It is an indication of the Liberals’ utter disdain for the Frankston community that it would allow this essential service to close.”

“Why isn’t Chris Crewther standing up for Frankston against cuts to essential services?”

“I call on the Turnbull Government to immediately restore funding to YouthLaw to allow it to continue its outreach service at the Frankston Headspace.”